35,000 miles... too many for a '81 CB750F?

[LOVEnGREED]

Hey now...
I just found a 1981 CB750F on my local Craigslist... it's in really nice shape, visually, and it's listed by the original owner. It seems to have been taken care of, and the carbs and brakes were rebuilt last year. If the condition of the paint/graphics are any indication, then it has been maintained. However, I've only owned single cylinder Hondas my whole life, so I'm not sure what to look for. He did say that the carbs probably need to be synced, but that's pretty much it. Any thoughts on this? I have no idea if 35,000 is a lot of miles for this bike; others I see for sale in this age range have considerably less. I appreciate any and all responses...thanks!

 

[amc49]

Ask him how many times the valves have been checked and set and if not then run the other way as fast as you can. Should have been at least a minimum of 4 times by then. That's enough miles for burned valves to begin show up and many think that's carb issues. Seeming lack of carb sync screams it, the engine does not perform well at light throttles or dead idle.

Or ask owner for a compression check.

What owners commonly do on those engines. The bikes commonly CAN look pretty good but the motors have issues, nobody ever maintained them and even the shops passed on much of the valve setting as it was too cost and time intensive. They tell you the valves are set but they are not, at least in a fashion that really lasts long term, and even the service manual allows for mistakes in that.

FYI with that many miles the cam chain tensioners are commonly cracking at the rubber to then come apart but that depends on bike geographical location, up north they can go longer. Here in Texas where I am they will be dead by then. Hot climate kills the rubber faster.